The Dark Side of the Moon
by The Mystery Guy
Summary: Link finally returns back home in Ordon looking just to live his old life again. When he starts to relax, a young child named Dark arrives in Ordon looking for love and protection. What will happen on this new journey of the famous hero as he tries to figure out to keep the child from having anxiety attacks.
1. Chapter 1

Ilia leaned over the short fence as she watched Link herd the goats back into the barn. After he saved everyone, he just resumed the work of a regular farm boy with the exception of one day every two weeks. He just had to go one or two days a week to meet with the princess. No one ever knew what they did at those meetings but neither of them ever missed one so everyone just figured it was just important.

This had been going on for one month and the cold mornings were starting to turn back to warm ones which everyone was thankful for. Ilia liked to spend her days watching Link do his work and she spent everyday waiting for him until he was done.

And just like everyday, when he was done, he would close the barn and meet Ilia by the gate near the entrance.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" Link asked as he led Epona out.

"How about a nice swim?" Ilia suggested. "Just you, and me." To say Ilia was happy that Link was home was an understatement. She was happy that she could spend time with him again. She really did see a future for the two of them and she knew he saw it too.

"Fine by me, just let me take Epona home then we can go."

Everyone in the village saw it. These two kids liked each other and everyone but the little kids thought it was cute. Talo, Malo and Beth thought it was gross and they complained that all the teens did was hug and take walks.

The sun was just starting to set as the two made their way to the second spring deeper in the woods. The sounds of nature sent a calm peaceful tone through the forest, the sky was painted an amazing pink scattered with beautiful red colors. Everything was perfect for a date.

The boy and girl sat there on the edge with their feet in the warm water. They were well hidden because the tiny lake was off to the left of the entrance of the spring so any passer by wouldn't see them unless they were really looking.

"So tell me again what the Twilight Realm was like?" Ilia asked.

"You hear about it all the time." Link smiled lightly.

"I like the idea of it." The girl stared up to him expectantly.

"Fine, fine. It's hard to explain, I wish I could've taken you there. Everything was dark but it was beautiful, the sky constantly like it is now, everything decorated with a blue-green color and it always looked like it was glowing."

"Were the people nice?"

"Couldn't understand them, but Midna said they were thankful."

"The didn't speak Hylian?"

"No, they're Twili. Different everything."

"Was Midna nice at least?"

"Let's just say... she had a weird sense of humor. It seemed like she laughed about everything."

"Sounds cool. The fact that there's another world parallel to ours with people just like ours and... it just sounds so amazing." Ilia sighed and looked into the water.

There was a short silence until Ilia sat up and pushed Link into the water. It took him a few seconds to swim back up and grab Ilia's hand to pull her in with him.

"Link! My clothes are all wet!" Ilia smiled.

"So are mine, what's your point?"

"My point is that I now have to walk through the village while sopping wet! You don't even have to go into the village." Ilia smiled lightly.

"My apologies miss. I forgot cat's didn't like getting their fur wet." The hero chuckled.

"Well unlike all the other cats you've dealt with, this one's got claws." Ilia had playfully splashed Link with water making him return the gesture, and soon the two were dunking each other in the water just playing around and having fun.

Eventually, the two were floating there in the moonlight, panting from being underwater too long. The teens slowly leaned in, Ilia wrapped her arms around Link's neck and his around her waist as they went in for their first kiss.

Suddenly, a rattle in the bushes made the hero look up in slight alarm.

"What?" Ilia asked wondering if she had put him off.

"Nothing. I just thought I heard something." Link smiled back down to her and leaned in again.

His head jerked up as soft padded footsteps and ragged breathing was heard, and all he saw was a flash of black before everything went silent again.

"What is it?" Ilia asked turning around.

"I don't know."

Another rustle in the bushes made the hero softly push Ilia away towards the back where she'd be safe. He got out of the water and slowly made his way to the opening.

All the sudden out of absolutely no where, moblins ran by, a few stopping to look at the hero in anger. Five of them stayed behind while the rest chased whatever it was that previously ran by.

Link looked back to Ilia who had eyes as wide as the moon. He wished he had his sword...

The first one swung at him and he easily ducked under the large knife and while the moblin was distracted, Link turned around and reached forward, forcefully taking the moblin's weapon making the others yell and run at him in outrage.

The weapon wasn't ideal, but it would suffice.

The hero made quick work in killing the five of them as if he was just swatting away an annoying mosquito.

"Ilia," He called out. "Go back to the village I'll meet you there."

"What? No!" But before she could object any further, he was already gone.

Link had run the same was the dark blur had. Either someone was being chased by these monsters or they had created them. He didn't have to go very far because just around the corner were five more bokoblins hovering around something on the ground.

"Hey!" Link called readying his weapon. "Leave them alone."

The hoard took no time to charge forward and try to take the hero down and once again, Link killed them as easily as he did the first group.

When he was finished, he walked over to the limp figure on the ground, a dark cloak hiding any noticeable features. The figure was small and trembling in the moonlight as Link approached.

"It's alright now, they can't hurt you." Link reasoned kneeling down to lift the cloak. Red eyes filled with tears looked up and locked with blue ones of shock.

The hero jumped back in shock throwing the cloak away as his eyes took in the sight.

A small child with red eyes and black hair gazed back to him, but what was even more terrifying was the fact that the child looked almost exactly like the hero himself with just a few differences. The child was almost evil-looking with glowing red eyes, pale skin, and coal black hair. A lose-fitting white shirt hung from his tiny frame as he stared up in horror and confusion.

"Wh-who are you?" Link asked holding his weapon out in case this was a trap.

"Are y-you gonna h-hurt me?" The child trembled. "P-please don't sir! I-I promise! I-I'll be g-good!" The child pleaded.

Link lowered the weapon softening his glare. "No. I wont hurt you. Who are you?"

"I-I was always c-called, 'Dark'." The boy whimpered backing away.

Link sighed and walked closer to Dark with a soft smile. "Hi Dark, I'm Link."

"I-I'm s-sorry... for the m-moblins. I'll leave now."

"No."

"What?" Dark whimpered. "P-please don't beat me... I didn't mean to lead them here!" The young child started to cry loudly as Link approached him. "Please! I'll do anything! I'll serve you until I die just please don't beat me!"

By now, Link had dropped the weapon. This _was_ a child who was afraid of being hurt by the stranger.

"Listen," Link had started softly. "I wont hurt you." The hero said as he knelt to the ground. "Where did you come from?"

"I... I can't tell you..." The boy whimpered backing away some more.

"Why not? You are safe here."

"He'll get me." The boy shook his head, clutching it with his tiny hands. "He'll get me and bring me back!" He sobbed out in pure fear. "He's going to find out I talked to you and he's going to get me!"

"Who?" Link got close enough to make physical contact. "Who is going to hurt you? If you tell me, I can protect you from them."

Dark just cowered and shook his head as tears trailed down his cheeks.

"At least come with me. You can't stay out here, who knows what would find you..." Link held out his hand but Dark just stared at it like it was poison.

"I'm not allowed to."

"Who said?"

"Um... he... he... he's... um... he's my... d-dad..." Dark replied.

"Your dad? Does your dad beat you?"

"No! I mean... yes... I mean..." Dark nodded his head. Link knew he was lying, but he'd play along if it made the child go with him, there was just a few things he needed to figure out.

Like where did this kid come from? And why did he look like the darker half of the hero? And what was he doing in Ordon?

"Listen, just come with me, please. It's too dark and dangerous for you to be outside, and it's too dark for you to see the pathway anyway. Please stay with me." Link reached his hand out and patiently waited. Something changed in Dark as he looked at the hand. For some odd reason, he felt comfort near this strange man. Maybe he _could_ get Dark away from...

"My ma- I mean father is most likely away on business. He'll sense my presence and come to you to get me. And so until that point, sir, I am your slave until then." Dark had decided.

"No, you wont be my slave." Link shook his head lightly as Dark took his hand.

"No? Then servant!" The child smiled. "I was only made to serve you."

"Let's talk about this more when we get to my house okay? But I will let you know now, I will never count you as my slave, servant or anything else."

"What about a butler? Butlers are cool."

"Listen Dark, I don't want you to serve me, I just want to be your friend okay?"

"Okay." Dark nodded. "Master, why are you wet?"

* * *

Ilia waited near Link's house for him to return. She was fearful of what might've happened or what could've happened to him. She was about to go after him when she saw a shadow coming towards her.

"Link! You're okay!" Ilia sighed in releif and started to run towards him until she saw the boy with him. "Who's that?"

"His names Dark." Link replied. "Hey, stay here I'm going to talk to Ilia over there okay?" Dark nodded obediently as Link walked over to Ilia.

"Dark? As in Dark Li-"

"Let's just call him 'Dark' for now." Link interrupted.

"So... is he evil?"

"I don't know... But he doesn't seem evil. He's just a child."

"Why does he look like you?" Ilia asked next giving a suspicious gaze to the boy behind them.

"I'm not sure. All I know about him is that he was running from someone or something and he has been abused his entire life."

"Really? This seems like a cliche. The mighty hero finding a child that looks exactly like him except younger and the child's been abused his entire life. This almost sounds like a story a fangirl from Hyrule would write about you." Ilia crossed her arms.

"Ilia, I'm sorry about tonight and I promise I'll make it up to you. Let me just work this out okay?"

"It's fine Link. After all, I'm used to you running off on a whim remember?" Ilia sighed and turned to the village. "I better get going."

Link sighed and shook his head lightly. It wasn't like he was trying to leave her all the time...


	2. Chapter 2

Once they got inside, Link had made Dark a place to sleep on the couch, and after an hour and a half of delaying the inevitable, Dark had fallen asleep. Link had managed to climb the first ladder to the platform before the window, and fell asleep on the pillows next to the bookcase. He was tired from a full days of work and having to deal with a kid who seemed like he was terrified of sleeping.

But even though he was exhausted, all it took was a solid scream and a thud to wake him from a dead sleep. He was awake and down the ladder before he had fully awoken, and on instinct he turned to the cowering child.

His scowl instantly softened and he rushed to the kid.

"Dark what happened?" The young child was shaking and grabbing his head as he stared wide-eyed at the door.

"H-he's gonna get me!" He panted out moving away from Link.

"No one is going to get you, Dark. You're safe here. Calm down and let's go get a glass of water." Link suggested but frowned slightly as the boy didn't calm down. His eyes widened slightly as a small bump grew on the child's head. The image of the child reminded the hero of a scared animal, wide-eyed and looking for escape. "Dark, come on-"

"No!" Dark twisted away from Link and backed himself into a corner pointing at the other. "Get away from me... don't you ever come near me again!"

"Dark..." Link didn't know what to do? Was the kid acting or was he really scared? "We need to get you someplace... a doctor or something. Please come with me." Link held out his hand but the boy trembled and backed further into the corner.

The boy started to hyperventilate as Link got closer."Listen, I'm not gonna hurt you Dark. Please come here."

Something changed in the boy and he started to cry, and with each sob, he slowly relaxed. He then leaned against the wall and cried, the terror in his eyes slowly faded to exhaustion.

"Come on, I know of someone who we can talk to." Link said as he picked the sobbing child up. The hero threw a blanket over the shaking child and he left, carefully balancing the child in his arms.

* * *

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

Ilia groaned and went to the door yawning as she answered it. "Hmm...?" The teen answered as she opened the door.

"Ilia, I'm sorry for coming this late, but I need you help." Link said as Ilia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Withwhat...?" She slurred together still half-asleep.

"Well, I just realized, I have no idea on how to take care of a child."

"Go figure." Ilia sighed. "Let's just go back to your place, I doubt my father would be pleased if he woke up due to a young child."

"Fine. I brought him just in case though." Link nodded to under the blanket.

"So tell me," Ilia started as they walked back to the hollow tree. "What happened that made you come over?"

"Well, he had fallen asleep so I went to bed, and a few hours later, I heard him scream and fall off the couch."

"Anything else?"

"He keeps saying that somebody's going to get him, but that's all he'll say."

"Let me see him." Ilia moved the blanket to find the boy sleeping in the hero's arms. She felt his forehead giving a look of worry like a mother would when her children were running a fever. "He's... freezing..."

"That's why I grabbed the blanket."

"Wait..." Ilia noticed a faint red streak towards Dark's back. "We need him to stand up."

Link nodded and slowly shook the boy awake careful not to frighten him. "Hey Dark, can you wake up for me? Come on, you just have to stand up for us."

Dark yawned and stirred. "But I'm tired..." He whined.

"I know but we need to see what's wrong with you." Link helped him turn around and stand, and Dark cooperated still partially asleep. Ilia lifted the white shirt off the pale boy only to find bandages wrapped around the small boy's torso.

"Give me your dagger." Ilia reached out and Link gave her an odd look before reaching into his boot.

"How did you know I kept one with me?"

"If you haven't noticed, sometimes your boot mysteriously shines in the light." Ilia replied bitterly while she cut away the bandages. Link could do nothing but hold Dark up as she ripped away the layers of bandaging. Ilia knew she started to reach the actual injury when the pale boy cried out and started to squirm.

Ilia took a deep breath before continuing wincing in guilt as the child whimpered and cried out. The young girl looked away in horror to find numerous injuries spread across his back. She couldn't help the tears that started to fall as she thought of where those injuries might have come from. Who would do this to a child?

"We need to help him."

"I don't understand..." Link said in horror. "He didn't say he was hurt."

"Of course he wouldn't. Connect the dots Link. He's injured, afraid of someone in particular, and he's terrified of everything around him. He's a slave. He learned to build walls and submit in order to protect himself. Whoever did this to him beat the thought into his head that he wasn't allowed to get help. He wasn't allowed to say he was injured before so why would he now?"

Link only nodded, wordless as he watched blood land on the ground below.

"There's a gash on his side, he's going to need stitches but these wounds aren't too deep, they'll heal on their own leaving scars behind." Ilia noted out loud.

"In the house, my tunic is in the bottom drawer of the dresser near the kitchen area. In there should be a small kit with string a needle. Go get it and I'll stay here with him."

Ilia nodded and ran off to the house.

"Dark?" Link asked looking to the child.

"Yes master?" Dark mumbled looking up innocently. Link didn't like being called 'master' but he'd let is go just this once.

"We need to do something to help you get better, and it will hurt but I'll be right here." Dark's eyes widened and he jerked away.

"What? No! I promise I'll be good! Better than before, just please don't hurt me!"

"Shh, it's okay, you're not in trouble. We just need to give you some stitches to help you heal faster that's all." Link promised and placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. "Listen, I once was fighting a huge dragon in the sky-"

"A _hug__e_ dragon?!" Dark gasped.

"Yeah, and when I went to attack him, his claw got my arm. After I defeated him I had to get stitches too just like you."

"You did?" The child asked in awe.

"Yes. And it hurt, but I got through it, and I know you can too."

"But you're brave. I'm just a kid." Dark looked to the ground in shame.

"How old are you?"

"Seven." Dark replied glumly.

"Well, you are a kid, but you're one of the bravest kids I know. Some of my friends are older than you and they act brave until danger really comes, then they act like little children, but you, when you see danger, you take it on like an adult."

"Really?" The kid asked a little more than excited.

"Yes, and I know you can get through this. Just hold onto my hand and squeeze when it hurts okay?"

"Master..." Dark whispered. "I... I'm scared..."

"I get scared too, and I find I'm less scared when I'm around people who love me. Now, I'll be right here, and when we're done, we can go have a cookie okay?"

"Oh... my previous master never let me have cookies."

"Well I don't care. You're having a cookie." Link smiled and patted the kid's head, ruffling his hair.

"Link I got it." Ilia called from the clearing holding a small wooden case.

"Thanks Ilia." Link called out, then turned his gaze back to Dark. "Come here and put your head on my shoulder." Dark obeyed with a little confusion in his blood red eyes. "Now hold my hand." The kid obeyed again. "Now look to the stars and I want you to tell me about your favorite thing to do and why."

"My favorite thing?"

"In the whole world." Ilia looked to Link and nodded as she knelt down next to them.

"M-my favorite thing is-" Dark's breath hitched as Ilia's hand's ghosted over his wound.

"What?" Link asked.

"Is... is..." Dark took a deep breath. "Walking in the gardens with all the pretty flowers..." Dark then cried out as the needle entered him. "A-and I l-like it b-because of the soft... the soft GRASS!" Dark yelled the last word as Ilia stuck it in again.

"Why else?" Link asked wincing as his hand was squeezed tightly.

"A-and the birds, they ALWAYS-!" Dark took another deep breath tears leaking out the side of his eyes. "Th-they always chirp s-so happily... and sometimes, I wish, that I... COULD!" The boy cried out again struggling to speak. "F-fly away too..." Link nodded and looked down to Ilia who cut the extra string with her teeth.

"Look! All done!" Link smiled to Dark as he nodded and cried.

"It h-hurts..." He whimpered.

"I know, but now, we can go have a cookie." Link picked up the child and grabbed the blanket and white shirt. He and Ilia helped Dark inside and Ilia sat down with Dark's head resting in her lap as Link went and got a promised cookie for the child.

Link gave him the treat and watched him look at it funny. After a moment of hesitation, the kid took a bite surprised to notice the sweet flavor.

Ilia ended up staying seeing as she couldn't really move with Dark sleeping across her lap.

"What do you suppose happened to him earlier?" Link whispered.

"I'm not sure..." Ilia replied quietly while brushing the child's hair with her fingers. "But if I had to guess, he had an anxiety attack."

"Anxiety?"

"Yeah, he's become so stressed out about one thing that he worries too much about it sending his body into temporary shock. It's not curable, he just needs to work through it on his own. All you can do is be there for him when it happens, and when it does happen, remind him he is loved and try to get his mind of the subject. Ask him what his favorite color is, or ask him why he thinks the sky is blue, or even point out something in a tree or a hill or something." Ilia sighed. "I could see it in his eyes. He's looking for an escape. He still doesn't feel safe here. Again, just remind him he is loved and that you want him around."

"Seems simple." Link nodded.

"Oh, and one more thing, don't get mad at him yet. If he does something wrong, take the time to explain what he did and emphasize the point that he is not in trouble."

"Thanks Ilia. I appreciate this. If there's anything I can do for you just let me know."

"Well there is one thing." Ilia smiled. "When this is all over, I want to go on a real date with you. Not one in the village, but somewhere else. I really would like to go to Lake Hylia."

"I promise, I will take you there. After all, you have helped me numerous times before, so I must repay you somehow."

"How did I help you before?"

"On my journey, the entire time I fought those monsters, I thought of you and just your image in my head kept me going." Ilia blushed and looked down.

"You should get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us." And with that, Link retired to bed once more leaving Ilia to sit and wonder about what the future might hold for the two of them.


End file.
